Means for mounting current-distributer blocks



S. C. 'McKEOWN.

MEANS FOR MOUNTING CURRENT DISTRIBUTER BLOCKS.' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 191?.

1,371,254, Patented Mar. 15, 192 1. 4 E57 1- 7 4 fJ T-at 7 A TTOR/VEY UNITED STATES SAIVIUEL C. MGKEOWN, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SPLITIDORF ELEC- PATENT orFicE.

TRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOR MOUNTING CURRENT-DISTRIBUTER BLOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Original application filed October 18, 1917, Serial No. 197,442. Patent No. 1,292,836, dated January 29, 1919. Divided and. this application filed November 30, 1917. Serial No. 204,698.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL C. MoKnoWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Mounting Current-Distributor Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means for mounting a distributer block on an ignition apparatus, as for example a magneto, in such a way that the block will be held securely in place, at the same time permitting the holding on means to be quickly removed so that the block can be taken off the ignition machine for the purpose of inspection, etc.

There have been numerous arrangements proposed and used in the past for holding distributor blocks on to ignition devices but where such ignition devices are placed on multi-cylinder engines used in connection with hydro and aeroplanes it has been found that, due to the excessive vibration, the means used heretofore for holding the distributor blocks on ignition apparatus, such as magnetos, has been found to be inaccquate; as it has been determined in actual service that wherever there is a chance for the slightest movement of the distributer blocks, that they begin to wear and in a short time becomeso loose on their fittings or supports as to require replacement sometimes of the whole machine, due to the fittings themselves becoming loose and worn.

My present invention is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 197 $1 12, filed October 19, 1917, now Patent 1,292,836, issued January 28, 1919, and is directed to ways and means of holding distributor blocks on ignition machines used in the service above described. I aim to mount the block on the supporting plate so that there is no radial movement, no longitudinal and no transverse motion and I provide means for securing the holding means so that they cannot possibly get out of normal working position, all of which will be hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing, Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of a magneto showing the distributer block in working position with a part of the holding means in view.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1 but showing an alternative means for holding the distributer block to the support plate.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective section of the block and support plate at the location of one of the holding means as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a detail view of one of the resilient members which may be used in connection with my present invention for holding the block in working position on the magneto.

' Referring now to the details, in which like numbers refer to corresponding parts in the various views, 1 is a magneto having end plates 2 and 3 which are held together by any suitable means such as bolts, one of which is shown at 1. On the end plate 2 a distributer block 5 is adapted to be mounted. Holes 6 are shown in the block 5 for the purpose of bringing out the secondary leads running to the spark plugs. When I desire to use the resilient member shown in Fig. 4 in connection with my present invention the resilient member may be in the form of a flat spring 7 which is adapted to be attached to the end plate 2. One end of the spring 7 is turned over at S to receive a pin 9 that is suitably mounted in the end plate 2. The spring 7 has a how 10 in order to give considerable resiliency to the outer end which has a hole 11 preferably oblong. The plate 2 has a rim 12 shown in Fig. 3, and the block 5 has an annular shoulder 13 adapted to closely fit under the rim 12, thus preventing radial motion of the block. Securely fastened to the block 5 are studs let preferably of metal and rectangular in shape and terminating in projections 15 somewhat conical or acorn shaped, that is to say, the ends 15 have grooves 16 slightly smaller than the ends 15 so that the holes 11 in spring members 7 when used will snap over the ends 15 into the grooves 16 and due to the tension produced by the bend 10 in springs 7 the resilient member will maintain a strong longitudinal pull. The lugs 14 enter rectangular shaped slots 17 in the ears 18 that project outwardly from the support plate 2 along the sides of distributor block 5. The ears 18 thus serve as support guides for block 5 and with the rim fit previously described serve to prevent any transverse motion of the block. The exact size and shape of the slots 17 and the studs 14: may be varied considerably from that shown so long as they cooperate to absolutely prevent any rotaryrmovement of the block 5. Attached to the ears-18 arebosses 19 through which the cotter pins 20 are adapted to pass, the same being putinto position as shown in Fig. 2 after the spring members 7 are snapped into working position. The pins 20 thus serve to prevent the spring 7 when used from snapping ed the V stud ends 15.

Pins 21 pass through the ears 18 andlugs 14 and serve to hold the distributer block 5 securely in place on the front plate 2 without the use of the springs 7 which may become broken and when used' alone would then allow theblock 5 to come 0% the neto. In some cases it may be found advantageous to use both a combination of the pins 21' and springs 7 thereby securing two independent fastening means. It will thus be seen that I have provided means for preventing longitudinal, transverse, radial and rotary motion of the block which means are not apt to become displaced by the vibration to which they are subjected.

VVhile I have shown one way of putting in the pins 21 for holding the block in position and have illustrated one form of the co-acting parts I'do not wish to be limitec to the exact construction shown except as set forth in the appended claims. Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In combination a distributer block hav ing studs thereon, a plate to receive said block, ears on said plate extending over the sides of said block and adapted to engage said studs, and'pins passing through said ears and studs for holding said block onto said plate.

2-. Incombination a distributer block having studs thereon, a plate to receive said block, ears on said plate having slots to receive said studs, and pins passing through said ears and studs for holding said block onto said-plate.

3. In combination a distributer block having studs securely fastened thereto, a plate to receive said block, ears on said plate projecting over the sides of said block, rectangular shaped slots in said ears, said studs having a portion rectangular in shape to fit in said slots and pins passing through said ears and studs for holding said biock onto said plate. 7 V

i 4:. In a' mounting for currentdistributer blocks the combination of a supporting I rent distributing contacts suitably disposed therein with an annular shoulder on the rear to closely fit within said rim, studs extending outwardly from said block adapted to engage'said ears, and pins engaging said ears and said studs to hold said block in working position on said plate. I

6. In a mounting forcurren't distributer blocks the combinationof a supporting plate having ears projecting laterally therefrom, a blockoi material having current distributing contacts suitably insulated and disposed therein, studs rigidly fastened to said block,

said ears having slots'to receive'said studs,

said studs and slot walls cooperating to etifectua ly prevent any rotary movement of said block, and pins cooperating with said ears and studs to hold the block inlongitudinal working position. 7

In witness whereof, I aifix my signature SAMUEL 'o. nonnowng 

